Oscillating blueberry stripper



March 6, 1962 H. E; MCKIBBEN ET AL 3,023,565

OSCILLATING BLUEBERRY STRIPPER Filed Jan. 22, 1959 IN V EN TOR. Pau/ Jbnes Horace 5 Ak/flb n N A TTOK/VE'Y United States Patent 3,023,565 OSCILLATIN G BLUEBERRY STRIPPER Horace E. McKibben and Paul F. Jones, Dowagiac, Mich, assignors to Blueberry Equipment, Inc., South Haven, Mich.

Filed Jan. 22, 1959, Ser. No. 788,376 9 Claims. (Cl. 56-330) This invention relates to improvements in blueberry picking device. The principle objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a power driven mechanical device for harvesting blueberries by vibrating the bush to cause ripe berries to fall from the bush without dislodging green berries.

Second, to provide a power operated device which is relatively light and easy to apply to a blueberry bush at various positions for vibrating the ripe berries from the bush.

Third, to provide a bush engaging head which has a plurality of pins or teeth for engaging and vibrating several branches of a blueberry bush simultaneously.

Fourth, to provide a berry picking instrument for a bush engaging head which can be vibrated at different amplitudes for harvesting blueberries at different stages of the growing season.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and claims. The drawings, of which there is one sheet, illustrate a highly practical form of the blueberry harvesting device of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the assembled device.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary transverse cross sectional view taken along the plane of the broken line 22 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view through the eccentric adjusting portion of the device taken along the plane of the line 33 in FIG. 2.

The device of the invention consists of a power driven shaker adapted to be applied selectively to different portions of a blueberry bush to vibrate the branches of the bush at an amplitude and frequency which will cause ripe blueberries to fall from the branches without displacing or shaking off any material number of green berries so that the green berries remain on the bush to be harvested later. To this end the device consists of a motor housing 1 having a handle 2 projecting from one side thereof. The motor may be either an electric motor or an air operated motor and the details of the motor are not illustrated. A conduit for supplying energy to the motor is indicated conventionally at 3 and a trigger control 4 for actuating the motor is desirably built into the handle.

The shaft 5 of the motor projects from the bottom of the housing 1 and is keyed at 6 to an eccentric block 7. The block 7 is secured axially on the shaft by a screw 8 and it will be noted that the eccentric block is itself eccentric to the shaft 5 in that the major portion of the mass and weight of the block is disposed to one side of the shaft and as appears to the left of the shaft in FIG. 2.

The bottom surface of the eccentric block defines a diametrically extending dovetail slot 9 within which is slidably mounted a shaft block 1d having a short shaft 11 formed thereon and projecting downwardly below the eccentric block. The shaft block is adjustably positioned in the eccentric block by a screw 12 held in place by the lock nut 13. The axis of the short shaft 11 is adjusted to varying degrees of eccentricity on the opposite side of the center line of the motor shaft 5 from the center of mass of the eccentric block.

Positioned around the short shaft 11 is an antifriction ball bearing 14 engaged in a recess in the center circular 3,023,565, Patented Mar. 6, 1962 portion'lS of a head 16. The head'16 extends generally diametrically with respect to the bearing 14 and transversely with respect to the handle 2 on the motor body.

hearing.

The transversely extending head 16 carries an aligned series of depending pins or teeth 20. In the example shown, the head is provided with seven teeth equally spaced and as appears more clearly from FIG. 1, the teeth have straight sided cylindrical portion with tapered lower ends approaching a point as at 21. In use the device is operated by extending the teeth into and between the branches or stalks of a blueberry bush above the cluster of berries on the stalk. If the stalks are small as on young bushes, the head is twisted so that the stalks are engaged between two adjacent teeth and the motor 1 is turned on to vibrate the stems. The ripe berries fall from the stems and may be collected on a drop cloth or catching device spread under the bush prior to shaking the berries off. The size and spacing of the pins or teeth 20 is important to successful operation of the device. Desirably the teeth are of the order of of an inch in diameter and are spaced apart by an equal distance. However, the diameter of the pins can vary from /8 of an inch to l and 4 inches and the spacing between the teeth can vary from A2 inch to 1 inch. The amplitude of vibration of the head and the pins is also important and is usually maintained at about of an inch but can be varied between of an inch and 1 inch. The amplitude of vibration is adjusted by means of the screw 12 at different periods during the harvest season depending upon the degree of ripening of the berries. Early in the harvesting season when there are only a few ripe berries and relatively more green berries on the stems, the stems are more brittle and it is desirable to reduce the throw of the eccentric to prevent shaking 0132' of green berries and breaking the stems. As the harvest season progresses and the stems become less brittle the amplitude of vibration can be increased within the limits stated.

The frequency of vibration of the pins 20 is also important and 2500 oscillations per minute or revolutions of the shaft 5 is the best frequency. However, this frequency can vary between 2000 and 3500 revolutions per minute. Operating within the reaches of the amplitudes and frequencies stated and with pin sizes and spacings as described, the device effectively shakes ripe blueberries from the branches without dislodging any material number of green berries or leaves from the bushes so that the device can be used throughout the harvest season to quickly and selectively remove fresh ripe blueberries with a minimum of effort.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A blueberry picking device comprising a rotary motor having a shaft and a handle projecting at an angle to the shaft of the motor, an eccentric block keyed to the shaft of said motor with the center of mass of the block eccentric to the shaft, said block defining a dovetail slot on its underside parallel to a radius from the center of the shaft to the center of eccentricity of the block, a shaft block slidably received in said slot and having a short shaft projecting below the eccentric block, screw means adjustably engaged between said blocks to position said short shaft eccentric to said motor shaft by about of an inch, a head having a circular center portion embracing said short shaft, an anti-friction ball bearing engaged between said short shaft and said center portion of said head, a flexible sleeve member connecting said motor with the center portion of said head, and a series of pins generally parallel to said shaft and secured to said head in a line transverse to said handle, said pins being about 4 inch in diameter and about inch apart and having straight shanks and tapered tips, said motor being arranged to rotate at about 2500 revolutions per minute,

2. A blueberry picking device comprising a rotary motor having a shaft and a handle projecting at an angle to the shaft of the motor, an eccentric block keyed to the shaft of said motor with the center of mass of the block eccentric to the shaft, said block defining a slot in its underside parallel to a radius from the center of the shaft to the center of eccentricity of the block, a shaft block slidably received in said slot and having a short shaft projecting below the eccentric block, means adjustably engaged between said blocks to position said short shaft eccentric to said motor shaft by about of an inch, a head having a center portion embracing said short shaft, an antifriction bearing engaged between said short shaft and said center portion of said head, a flexible sleeve member connecting said motor with the center portion of said head, and a series of pins generally parallel to said shafts and secured to said head in a line, said pins being about inch in diameter and about inch apart and having straight shanks and tapered tips, said motor being arranged to rotate at about 2500 revolutions per minute.

3. A blueberry picking device comprising a rotary motor having a shaft and a handle projecting at an angle to the shaft of the motor, an eccentric block keyed to the shaft of said motor with the center of mass of the block eccentric to the shaft, said block defining a dovetail slot on its underside parallel to a radius from the center of the shaft to the center of eccentricity of the block, a shaft block slidably received in said slot and having a short shaft projecting below the eccentric block, screw means adjustably engaged between said blocks to position said short shaft eccentric to said motor shaft by between and /2 of an inch, a head having a circular center portion embracing said short shaft, an antifriction bearing engaged between said short shaft and said center portion of said head, a flexible sleeve member connecting said motor with the center portion of said head, and a series of pins generally parallel to said shaft and secured to said head in a line transverse to said handle, said pins being between /8 and 1 and /4 inches in diameter and between /1 and 1 inch apart and having straight shanks and tapered tips, said motor being arranged to rotate in the range between 2000 and 3500 revolutions per minute.

4. A blueberry picking device comprising a rotary motor having a shaft and a handle, an eccentric block keyed to the shaft of said motor with the center of mass of the block eccentric to the shaft, said block defining a dovetail slot on its underside parallel to a radius from the center of the shaft to the center of eccentricity of the block, a shaft block slidably received in said slot and having a short shaft projecting below the eccentric block, screw means adjustably engaged between said blocks to position said short shaft eccentric to said motor shaft by between and /z of an inch, a head having a center portion embracing said short shaft, an anti-friction bearing engaged between said short shaft and said center portion of said head, a flexible member connecting said motor with the center portion of said head, and a series of pins generally parallel to said shaft and secured to said head in a line transverse to said handle, said pins being between and 1 and inches in diameter and between /2 and 1 inch apart and having tapered tips, said motor being arranged to rotate in the range between 2000 and 3500 revolutions per minute 5. A blueberry picking device comprising a rotary motor having a shaft and a handle, an eccentric block keyed to the shaft of said motor with the center of mass of the block eccentric to the shaft, a shaft block having a slidable engagement with the underside of the eccentric block radially of said motor shaft and having a short shaft projecting below the eccentric block, means adjustably engaged between said blocks to position said short shaft eccentric to said motor shaft by about /10 of an inch, a head having a center portion embracing said short shaft, an anti-friction bearing engaged between said short shaft and said center portion of said head, a flexible member connecting said motor with the center portion of said head, and a series of spaced pins generally parallel to said shafts and secured to said head in a line, said pins being about /4 inch in diameter and about inch apart and having tapered tips, said motor being arranged to rotate at about 2500 revolutions per minute.

6. A blueberry picking device comprising a rotary motor having a shaft and a handle, an eccentric block keyed to the shaft of said motor, a shaft block having a slot and tongue engagement with the underside of the eccentric block and having a short shaft projecting below the eccentric block, means adjustably engaged between said blocks to position said short shaft eccentric to said motor shaft, a head having a center portion embracing said short shaft, an anti-friction bearing engaged between said short shaft and said center portion of said head, a flexible member connecting said motor with the center portion of said head, and a series of spaced pins generally parallel to said shafts and secured to said head in a line, said motor being arranged to rotate at about 2500 revolutions per minute.

7. A hand portable blueberry picking device comprising a head having a series of bush engaging teeth projecting therefrom and arranged side by side in a single line, said teeth being between /8 and 1 and inches in diameter and being spaced apart between /2 and 1 inch, said teeth having rounded cross sections and tapered tips, a handle and a motor operatively associated with said handle and connected to orbitally oscillate said teeth transversely to their length and longitudinally of the line of teeth at an amplitude of between 7 to 1 inch and at a frequency in the range of from 2000 to 2500 oscillations per minute.

8. A hand portable blueberry picking device compris ing a head having a series of spaced bush engaging teeth projecting therefrom and arranged side by side in a single line, said teeth being between /8 and 1 and inches in diameter and being spaced apart between A2 and 1 inch, said teeth having straight shanks, a handle and a motor operatively associated with said handle and connected to orbitally oscillate said teeth transversely to their length and longitudinally of the line of teeth at a frequency in the range of from 2000 to 3500 oscillations per minute.

9. A hand portable blueberry picking device comprising a head having a series of spaced bush engaging teeth projecting therefrom and arranged side by side in a single line, a handle and a motor operatively associated with said handle and connected to orbitally oscillate said teeth transversely to their length and longitudinally of the line of teeth at a frequency in the range of from 2000 to 3500 oscillations per minute.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 855,342 Richmond May 28, 1907 975,436 Kunkel Nov. 15, 1910 1,577,751 Paschall M'ar. 23, 1926 2,479,253 Prediger Aug. 16, 1949 2,544,443 Brateng Mar. 6, 1951 

